Fault detector for shotgun users



Oct. 2, 1951 I E, AAGESEN v 2,569,594

FAULT DETECTOR FOR SHOTGUN USERS Filed Nov. 25, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l Law's E on Aagesen Oct. 2, 1951 E. AAGESEN FAULT DETECTOR FOR SHOTGUN USERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1947 Fig.5.

Fig.6.

1 1 u .1 I I Patented Oct. 2, 19 51 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,569,594 f s FAULT DETECTOR FOR SHOTGUN USERS Louis EarlAagesen, J oliet, Ill. 7 Application November 25, 1947, Serial No, 788,037

' (o1. ave-101.1)

Claims.

This invention relates generally to firearms and more particularly to detect the faults in the aiming of a firearm by a particular user.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device which may be used conveniently to determine the characteristic action of the user of a firearm when aiming the same at a moving object, with a view to correcting thegun stock, ordinarily of shotgunsand rifles, to suit the individual user. The commonest faults in aiming these firearms, such as over or under elevation of the firearm at the instant when the game is flushed as well as other faults leading to the tilting of the firearm and habitual shooting too far to either the right or the left, can be corrected in large measure by properly fitting the gun stock to the individual user. This is accomplished, with the assistance of the instant invention, by checking the characteristic operation of the gun by the user, insertion of wedge-shaped pieces of material in the butt of the gun, until the proper pitch is attained, whereafter these wedge-shaped pieces of material are preferably removed and the gun stock out down to the particular configuration and pitch calculated to overcome the faults in the aim of this individual user. Therefore, this device is used to indicate the exact nature of the faults, in order that correction may be obtained.

Another object of this invention is to provide a suitable moving target, and means easily insertable into th firearm for indicating the characteristic aim of the user, the form of the latter described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings comprising a cartridge-like lamp means insertable into the barrel of the firearm and operated upon the manipulation of the trigger.

'Still another object of this invention is to provide means of the character mentioned above, which may be quickly applied to a firearm without modification or adjustment thereof, and is therefore adapted for use in gunsmiths establishments.

Still another object of this invention is to provide means which may be used by the individual operators of firearms in order to practice and perfect the aiming of a particular firearm.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a device of this character which is relatively inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, which is simple and completely safe to use, and which will give generally ,eflicient, reliable and durable service.

With these objects definitely in view, this in- I 2. vention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of means used to provide a moving target and a firearm operatively connected with the device, the view being proposed as illustrative of how the invention is to be used;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view, of a portion of this invention, taken on the line 2-2 in Figure 1, and showing the main elements of this part of the invention in elevation within the casing provided therefor which is shown in section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary View, largely in top plan, and taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sectional views, taken on the section lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively, in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the tube in the portion of this invention hereinafter referred to as the projector means;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a firearm with the lamp means inserted in the cartridge chamber of a firearm, the barrel of which is shown in longitudinal vertical section; and,

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the lamp means referred to in the description of the preceding figure.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be noted that this invention is adapted to be used in connection with an environment including a firearm represented by the shotgun generally indicated by the numeral 10, having a barrel I2, a stock [4, a trigger I6, and a trigger guard l8, as well as a firing pin 20 which is indicated in Figure 7. The environment wherewith this invention will be used also includes, as indicated above, in the description of the primary object of this invention, a complement of gunsmiths accessories enabling the fitting of the gun to the individual user, after the faults of his aim are determined by the use of this invention thls further environment not being illustrated in the drawings. The parts of the gun may, however, be considered as parts of the combination comprising this invention, inasmuch as the lamp means, generally indicated by the numeral 22 and illustrated in detail in Figure 8, 5 cooperates with the gun barrel l2, the firing pin and other parts of the gun in the operation of this invention.

Referring first to the projector means, it will be noted that a casing 24 isprovidedand that 10 this casing may be box-like in character with two pedestals 26 and 28 secured to the base of the cas ing and provided with bearings 30 to receive journal portions of a shaft 32 which-is veryslowly rotated by a motor means indicated at 34. The l5 pedestal 26 has an upwardly projecting-portion 36 in which a post 38 is rotatably mounted; and 1 it will be noted that this post is provided with trunnion arms 40 for the support of the tube 42. This construction allowsl the tube to turn in a 20 substantially horizontal plane, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, as well as pivotal movement in a vertical plane, it being understood that. the post 38.is mounted for free rotation axiallyof the upwardly projecting portion 36 of the pedestal 25 26;

A pair of diametrically-disposed arms 44 are rigidly secured to the post 38, and the cams 46 and 48 aresecured to the shaft32 so that rotation of this'shaftwill cause *the'cams 48 and 48 to. suc- 0 cessively. oscillate-the'post 38. and the tube 42. These-cams are. of'irr'egular shapes, as best il-v lustrated in Figure 4, and the cam 48'-is. constructed-with an adjustableend plate. 50 secured to the main portion'of the cam by a bolt'52;i

One end of the-shaft -32 isv provided: with. an intermittent gear 54'and' a gear Wheel 56 is rdtatably mounted on a short stub shaft 58"carrie'di on a boss 60 in the casing 24. A ratchet. 621s rigidly secured'to-one end'of'this shaft 58 and-this 40 ratchet cooperates with the gear wheel' 56 on: which it is carried, to prevent reverse'rotationbf" the gear Wheel 56'I'and' a cam-66 is securedon the shaft 58 to turn with. the' gear wheel 56ftha't is, the gear wheel 56 and the cam'fifiiare free to turn on the'shaft 58in one direction-only; A roller (SS-is mounted in a' suitable bracket!!! 'on' the under-- side of the tube 42*adjacent' the-forward end thereof, and this roller Ea -is in continuous engagement with the cam- 66? A pa'irr' of spring wire arms (2, having eyes. 14 to'fa'cilitatethe at'-' tachment thereof to the:"sides of'the'casing 24, are so dimensioned and positioned that the'in ner' ends 16 of these arm's,'curved-"as illustrated in Figure 5, limit themovement of and support the top wall of the casing 24, as indicated at'84, 5-

the mounting means'including means to insulate' the stud from the' cas'in'gf A"co'nvenient means" for energizing both lamp-means "in 'the-invn' tion is represented in the"'drawings -as"including a pair of dry-cells 86 secu'redto'thecasing 24 by a 7 bracket '88 and tliese lainp means will now be described in some detail? The lam -means 22;'ilhistr ated ih Figiil' 8; and

designed to be placed in the-"cartridge ha'ffriber 4 which may be shaped to correspond with the cartridge case of the firearm with which it is to be used, and it will be noted that this casing has a partition 92 and that the casing and partition will preferably be formed of insulative material. A lamp socket 94 is secured to the partition 92, and a lens 96 is mounted in what may be considered the forward end of the casing between the forward end of the sleeve 58 and ,an end plate IO 'O Q hich' iS provided with an objective light aperture I02. The electrical connections lead from each side of the battery comprised of the cells 86 through a double conduit I04, the individual 'conductolsiiof which are terminally secured to the center terminal of the lamp socket otherflead is terminally secured to any conven- 1 ient'poition of the mechanism of the firearm,

such as the finger guard Hi. The circuit is completed to the lamp I08 by means of 'a' spring'conta'ct lflllfaplunger H2 and a'fiexible lead H4 connecting this plunger to ground, that isfto'th'emetal part-of mechanism of the firearm. The plunger: I I2 is'spring biased as to the left in Fig-1 ure 8, by a coiledsp'ringl I I6 which is'compressed between the partition. 92' and Washer 118 which is rigidly" secured to' the. shank portion of the plunger. The firin'g'pirrizfl of the firearm'is'employedxto'force the plunger H2, against the action' of the spring I I6; into contact with the spring contact llll, thus" closing" the electric'af'circuit through the lamp "H18.

The'lamp means'inc'orporated with the projector means is. illustrated in Figure 6 and'ineludes asocket,lflfllse'cured. in the endof the tube 42; a lamp I22 carried in.'this socket'and means for focusing the light from this lamp including a cylinder I24 witha'longitudinal bore and an objective lens I26:- inone'endof"this"bore, the cylinder I24fbeing'illustrated as placed inside the tube- 42 adjacent to 'th'e'lamp' I22, and the adjustment' of: thiscylinder"longitudinally of the tube-42 serving toallow variation of the character of the light target projected onto the screen I28.

The: electrical connectionsinclude leads I30 and" to? be? achieved by this invention. In recapitula tion', it may be addedthat the moving target I32? 011: the Screen-"IZB will be used 'to' simulate moving game such as a bird fiush ed from a th'icketand' itwfll Ice-understood that this target willf'move" in relatively'unpredictable path due to' the a tions: the tan; 35in moi/ingfthe fo'r Wardnd 0f the tube 'lfandtheoscillatory movementbf-thdtub caused by the ac'tion lofQthe cams 46 and 48 acting pponthe arms 44" to oscillate the trunnion 4oz vvh h the marksman usingthe firearm "I If equipped with] the" lamp means 22 i'p-relss 'es the trigger I Q, the lamp I 08 isj energized and h isfaim'is recorded on the screen I28, as indicated at 134. Provided I that the marksman finds h'isaim is persistently 'in' errori'in'qne directien the invention will have served its' a fi; urpts ;;m guiding the correc tion of the firearmtofitthe 'individ ial usergallg es ni the primaryobje'ct o'f this mvention; Obviously,

5 the device may be used with complete safety and it will be evident that all of the objects recited above are amply achieved by this device.

Many minor variations may be made in the exact construction and proportionment of the various parts of this invention and this invention should be limited only in accordance with the proper interpretation of the terms used in the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A faulty aim detector for marksmen comprising a screen projector means to project a moving target onto a screen and adapted for use with lamp means removably securable to a firearm and operable when the trigger of this firearm is pressed to project a beam of light in the direction of aim of the firearm, said projector means comprising a tube, a lamp within said tube, means to mount the tube including a rotatably mounted post on which said tube is pivoted, arms rigidly secured to said post, a motor, a shaft rotated by said motor, cams carried by said shaft to oscillate said arms and post, and an intermittently rotating cam operated by said shaft and in engagement with a portion of said tube to shift said tube in a plane substantially normal to the plane in which it is oscillatable.

2. A faulty aim detector for marksmen comprising a screen projector means to project a moving target onto a screen, said means being of the type employed with lamp means removably securable to a firearm and operable when the trigger of this firearm is pressed to project a beam of light in the direction of aim of the firearm, said projector means comprising a tube, a lamp within said tube, means to mount the tube including a rotatably mounted post onwhich said tube is pivoted, arms rigidly secured to said post, a motor, a shaft rotated by said motor, cams carried by said shaft to oscillate said arms and post, and an intermittently rotating cam operated by said shaft and in engagement with a portion of said tube to shift said tube in a plane substantially normal to the plane in which it is oscillatable, and means for intermittently lighting the lamp means within said tube.

3. A detector according to claim 2 and including means to prevent reverse rotation of said intermittently rotating cam, and said intermittently rotating cam is synchronized in action with said means for intermittently lighting the lamp means and with said rotatably mounted post.

4. A detector according to claim 3 and wherein said shaft has a segment gear and said intermittently rotating cam is fixed to a gear engaged by said segment gear.

5. A faulty aim detector for marksmen comprising a screen projector means to project a moving target onto said screen for use with lamp means removably securable to a firearm and operable when the trigger of this firearm is pressed to project a beam of light in the direction of aim of the firearm, said projector means comprising a tube, a lamp within said tube, means to mount the tube including a rotatably mounted post on which said tube is pivoted, arms rigidly secured to said post, a motor, a shaft rotated by said motor, cams carried by said shaft to oscillate said arms and post, and an intermittently rotating cam operated by said shaft and in engagement with a portion of said tube to shift said tube in a plane substantially normal to the plane in which it is oscillatable, one of the first mentioned cams having an adjustable arm end plate.

LOUIS EARL AAGESEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,174,813 Younghusband Oct. 3, 1939 2,228,551 Younghusband Jan. 14, 1941 

